Half a Dark Heart
Published on 29. January 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
400 pages
978-0-241-73842-9 (ISBN)
Description
A stunning gothic-horror romantasy, Half a Dark Heart is perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Cassandra Clare and Sarah Waters.
"Haunting, atmospheric and suspenseful . . . a completely captivating gothic mystery" - Bea Fitzgerald, bestselling author of Girl, Goddess, Queen
The Horrors gain strength when things in our world are broken.
A bone. A promise. A heart.
Ever since she first encountered 'The Horrors', Alice has hidden herself safely behind the walls of her family's Whitby guest house. Only her beloved sister, Lucille, knows why: that Alice can see things - gruesome, terrible things - in the darkest corners of our world. Shadow-monsters which will do anything to satisfy their violent cravings - and seemingly nothing can stop them. Of course, no one would believe them if they told them - and so the girls stay silent.
That is, until Lucille goes missing, and the boy she was in love disappears too. All of which coincides with the arrival of Austin - a dashing young actor from London, who claims a demon has stolen his voice, and only Alice can help him.
Faced with a world and powers she never even knew existed, Alice must race against time to save her sister, herself, and perhaps the only other person who's ever cared about her. As well as send a demon or two back to where they came from . . .
"The atmospheric horromantasy I've been craving!" - Laura Steven, bestselling author of Our Infinite Fates
"Haunting, atmospheric and suspenseful . . . a completely captivating gothic mystery" - Bea Fitzgerald, bestselling author of Girl, Goddess, Queen
The Horrors gain strength when things in our world are broken.
A bone. A promise. A heart.
Ever since she first encountered 'The Horrors', Alice has hidden herself safely behind the walls of her family's Whitby guest house. Only her beloved sister, Lucille, knows why: that Alice can see things - gruesome, terrible things - in the darkest corners of our world. Shadow-monsters which will do anything to satisfy their violent cravings - and seemingly nothing can stop them. Of course, no one would believe them if they told them - and so the girls stay silent.
That is, until Lucille goes missing, and the boy she was in love disappears too. All of which coincides with the arrival of Austin - a dashing young actor from London, who claims a demon has stolen his voice, and only Alice can help him.
Faced with a world and powers she never even knew existed, Alice must race against time to save her sister, herself, and perhaps the only other person who's ever cared about her. As well as send a demon or two back to where they came from . . .
"The atmospheric horromantasy I've been craving!" - Laura Steven, bestselling author of Our Infinite Fates
Reviews / Votes
Haunting, atmospheric and suspenseful, Half A Dark Heart is a completely captivating gothic mystery. I haven't been swept away by a book like this in a long time and I don't think I've ever had so much fun being utterly terrified. * Bea Fitzgerald, bestselling author of Girl, Goddess, Queen * Half A Dark Heart is the atmospheric horromantasy I've been craving! With a devastatingly tender love story, an evocative gothic setting, and a deep exploration of the power of sisterhood, this book is going to stay with me for a long time * Laura Steven, bestselling author of Our Infinite Fates * I absolutely loved Half a Dark Heart! It is such a gripping, multilayered read, [which] evokes Whitby in all its Gothic glory absolutely superbly. It's sinister, poignant, and utterly enthralling. It's taken so many elements of Victorian literature and reimagined them in a way that shows Heather's love for literature, but also a wonderfully innovative approach to the genre. The Otherworld is a truly horrific invention (in the best sense!), and I am absolutely here for Alice and Lucille's future adventures! * Naomi Kelsey, author of The Burnings * Praise for A Dark Inheritance: "A powerful, heart-racing story of family, fate, and writing your own destiny. Intricately plotted and luminously written - I loved it * Laura Steven, bestselling author of Our Infinite Fates *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Penguin Random House Children's UK
Target group
Young adult
Children/juvenile
Interest Age: From 13 to 19 years
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 197 mm
Width: 130 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
288 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-241-73842-9 (9780241738429)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
01/2026
Penguin Books Ltd
€9.99
Available for download
Person
H.F. Askwith is the author of three YA gothic fantasy thrillers - A Dark Inheritance, A Cruel Twist of Fate and Half A Dark Heart. She is a Northern Writers' Award winner and has an MA in Creative Writing. When she's not writing, she loves solving puzzles, playing board games with her family and running.